


Pumpkin Spice

by awyeahjimin



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Anxiety, Dissociation, Domestic, Fluff, Halloween, M/M, Panic Attacks, scary corn maze, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:54:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27318826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awyeahjimin/pseuds/awyeahjimin
Summary: Hongjoong and Seonghwa have a fun, festive date at an Autumn festival but things go awry.
Relationships: Kim Hongjoong/Park Seonghwa
Comments: 2
Kudos: 123





	Pumpkin Spice

Seonghwa couldn’t get rid of the pit of anxiety in his stomach. 

Overall, he was having a great time. It was a beautiful autumn day, sunny but chilly enough to wear a cozy sweater and enjoy a hot drink. Which is exactly what Seonghwa was doing as he sat at a picnic table and people watched as the sun set while he waited for Hongjoong to get back from his food mission. They were at one of those cute little fall festivals that happen at family owned apple orchards and pumpkin patches. He and Hongjoong had spent the last couple hours walking around hand in hand looking at all the different displays set up and eating as many free samples as they could get.

Seonghwa smiled to himself when a little kid dressed as a puppy ran by with their little trick or treat pumpkin spilling candy as he went. The omega picked up the couple pieces that escaped and handed them to the child’s frazzled looking parent. The parent thanked him quickly before chasing after the little kid again. Warmth spread in Seonghwa’s chest at the sight and he took a sip of the warm fresh apple cider that Hongjoong had bought for him.

He only got to luxuriate in that warm feeling for a moment before his mind was drifting to something else. There was one activity left for today and it was going to be no where near as fun as the petting zoo or face painting (Seonghwa had gotten a cute little black cat on his cheek and Hongjoong a pumpkin). Hongjoong had been super excited about the haunted corn maze this particular pumpkin patch had and Seonghwa couldn’t bring himself to crush the alpha’s spirit by saying no. 

Haunted houses and scary things were not typically something Seonghwa was into. He liked the occasional horror movie, but any that he had seen had been at the suggestion of someone else. Those were movies though, where he could hide behind a blanket or a bucket of popcorn. This was going to be him lost in a dark cornfield while people jumped out at him and chased them around with chainsaws. 

Hongjoong had been so adorably excited about it (“Hwa they have a PUMPKIN monster! Doesn’t that sound so cool?”) that Seonghwa had no choice but to agree. He was still filled with nervous energy about it though. The main thing keeping him from chickening out was that Hongjoong was going to be there with him the whole time.

On the topic of Honjoong, he was now returning with hands full of food.

“I couldn’t decide so I just got one of everything that sounded good,” Hongjoong said sheepishly. Seonghwa laughed fondly and helped the alpha unload his arms of the various foods he had bought.

“This all looks so good.” Seonghwa said, picking up a doughnut and sniffing at it. Pumpkin spice. Seonghwa took a bite and moaned, it was soft and still warm, deliciously spicy and sweet with the frosting. “Try this Joong, it’s so good.”

Seonghwa held the doughnut forward to the alpha’s mouth and watched as Hongjoong took a bite and his eyes widened comically. “Oh my god we are in haven.” 

They both dug into the food, feeding each other bites as they went along and dramatically declared their love for their favorites. Seonghwa looked at Hongjoong fondly, admiring how he seemed to glow in the warm light of the setting sun. The alpha looked cozy and full of happiness, blond hair peeking out from underneath the beanie on his head and painted pumpkin on his cheek smudged just a little from where he’d been a little overzealous wiping his mouth.

Without warning Seonghwa leaned forward and pressed a sweet kiss to Hongjoong’s mouth. The alpha made a soft surprised noise but then relaxed into it. When Seonghwa pulled back he was rewarded with the sight of Hongjoong smiling so wide it must have hurt.

Warm love filled every crack and crevice of Seonghwa’s chest, to the point that it felt like he’s burst with it. He returned the alpha’s smile, his cheeks making it almost impossible to see for how hard he was smiling. They stayed like that for a few moments, just staring at each other smiling like the two love sick idiots they are. Eventually though Hongjoong started picking at his food again, raising a bite of sweet corn to Seonghwa’s mouth. 

As Seonghwa chewed Hongjoong checked his phone. “The maze should open up in like 30 minutes. After we finish eating we should go grab a spot in line.”

Seonghwa repressed the urge to frown, shoving down the anxious twist in his stomach. “Sounds like a plan.”

He set his fork down, suddenly not hungry anymore at the realization of the imminence of the maze. Plus it was getting pretty dark, in 30 minutes the sun would probably have finished setting. Seonghwa had been doing his best to keep his anxiety out of his scent but he must not have been as successful keeping it off his face because Hongjoong asked, “Are you sure you want to do the maze? We don’t have to.”

Seonghwa looked at Hongjoong’s face, the alpha looked sincere and a little worried. Seonghwa couldn’t help but to think of how excited Hongjoong had been when talking about the maze though, the alpha obviously really wanted to do it.

“I’m okay Joong, I’m not a baby. I can handle a haunted maze.” Seonghwa said, doing his best to sound nonchalant.

Hongjoong wasn’t impressed, he stared at Seonghwa’s face and quirked his eyebrow. Seonghwa just stared back at the alpha, steadfast. Hongjoong heaved a sigh and shrugged his shoulders. “Alright, if you say so.” 

As they finished their food Seonghwa did his best to stifle his dread. He really didn’t get the appeal of having people jump out at you or really even a corn maze, so the two combined were completely beyond his comprehension of fun. He was more into making pumpkin flavored sweets and sitting around warm campfires with a warm blanket around his shoulders in terms of fun fall activities. Maybe even a hayride through a non-haunted cornfield.

They eventually finished the food and Seonghwa swigged down the last bit of his apple cider, long gone cold, before throwing the empty cup into a trashcan. He and Hongjoong joined hands and Seonghwa did his best to focus on the alpha’s warm hand and comforting leather scent. It fit in well with the scents of leaves and cinnamon floating through the air. 

As they neared the line the decorations became decidedly less kid friendly than the ones closer to the middle of the festival grounds. Seonghwa did his best to ignore the bloody scarecrow that loomed over them as they settled into their place in line, part of his mind convinced he just saw it move. 

“Look at that make up job! They even made the blood brown to be more realistic,” Hongjoong said, fascinated. The alpha stood in his tippy toes in an effort to get a closer look and the cuteness of the action helped to settle Seonghwa’s nerves. 

“You’re such an art nerd, I love it,” Seonghwa said, squeezing Hongjoong’s hand. The alpha looked at him pretending to be offended but couldn’t keep it up, breaking into a laugh and pulling Seonghwa along with him as the line moved. 

There were already a fair amount of people in line so they hadn’t started waiting inside the main waiting area. As they moved further and further along though, the more Seonghwa’s stomach churned. He did his best to pay attention to Hongjoong’s excited analysis of the special effects around them but he couldn’t pay attention for more than a few moments. He kept convincing himself that all the mannequins around them were going to jump out and scare them. 

“Hey, are you sure you’re okay?” Hongjoong’s soft voice broke through his inner monologue. The alpha put a reassuring hand around his waist and squeezed him close.

Seonghwa took a deep breath and met Hongjoong’s eyes. “I’m a little scared.”

The omega saw as concern filled Hongjoong’s eyes so he cut in before the alpha could speak. “I’m fine though. These are supposed to be scary! It’s doing it’s job!” Seonghwa did his best to be convincing as fear crawled up his spine.

Hongjoong fixed another hard stare on Seonghwa before seeming to come to a decision. “Okay, but let me know if it gets too much.”

Seonghwa nodded his head, not trusting his voice to work right as he saw one of the actors come out of the corn to work the line of waiting people. They were dressed as some scary farmer (maybe a little on the nose for the theme, but he was scary nonetheless) with a bloodied pitchfork in their hand. The actor stalked along the lines and occasionally would stare a person down or suddenly jump and scream at someone. 

Seonghwa watched this with rising anxiety as the actor approached his and Hongjoong’s spot in line. He did his best to look unaffected, knowing that the actors went after the ones that hid and looked like easy targets. The omega’s heart thundered in his chest as the actor stalked right by him and Hongjoong, Seonghwa for once thankful for his intimidating resting face, at least he doesn’t look like an easy target. 

Another ten minutes and they were almost at the front of the line. This close Seonghwa could smell the scent of fear in the air alongside happiness. Again, he will never understand the happy reaction some people have to being scared. He was already nervous and the fearful scents in the air only worked to get his instincts worked up as well. Subconsciously he slid his fingers into Hongjoong’s beside him, feeling slightly better when the alpha squeezed his hand comfortingly.

They took the last few steps and suddenly the entrance into the maze was right before him, fake blood staining the corn husks and the faint light of strobes peeking between the stalks. 

“You can step in now,” A bored looking employee dressed as a cat said, gesturing towards the entrance.

As Seonghwa followed Hongjoong into the maze he felt himself start to dissociate. He was already so scared but he was determined to make it through this. He was grown, he should be able to make it through a family put together haunted maze. So he let himself drift into his happy place as the looming stalks of corn encompassed him and Hongjoong

A cozy café on a rainy day, Hongjoong’s warm smile and leather scent mixing with the coffee in the air, a warm blueberry muffin crumbling as Seonghwa puts it in his mouth-

He’s ripped from his happy place as an actor dressed more in blood than any real costume jumps out of the corn, a shrill scream erupting from Seonghwa’s throat as he immediately clutches onto Hongjoong’s arm. His feet move before he’s even thought about it and then he’s running, a laughing and complaining Hongjoong dragging behind him. 

“Hwa slow down! I can’t keep up!” The alpha’s voice comes from behind him. Seonghwa glances behind him and sees Hongjoong catching up behind him, smile plastered on his face. He forces himself to stand still long enough for Hongjoong to catch up and then he’s moving again, the faster he moves the faster they can solve this maze.

Seonghwa’s heart is pounding in his chest, the fearful pheromones from all the previous people in the air not helping at all. Seonghwa feels as Hongjoong slides his hand into his and squeezes. Before Seonghwa can even feel comforted by the action he hears a loud rustling in the corn next to them. His head whips over to look but it’s too dark to see anything except for the way the corn stalks sway as someone walks within them. 

“Let’s go!” Hongjoong yells, giggling madly, and then is tugging Seonghwa down a row of corn and around a corner. Just as they round the corner a woman crashes out of the corn and is screaming at them. 

“Help! Help me! Please, they’re trying to kill me!” She screams, her clothes torn and covered in blood, and she reaches out to grab at Seonghwa’s arm. Seonghwa flinches back and stumbles into Hongjoong’s behind him.

“There you are you bitch! I’m going to kill you!” A booming voice yells and then a giant man with a pitchfork is grabbing the woman and dragging her screaming back into the corn. The woman begs them to help her but Seonghwa is frozen, just watching as she struggles against the man and then disappears into the darkness, horror and dread seizing his heart. 

“Hongjoong, I want to get out,” He says, pride gone. He’s scared and wants this to be over with. He was prepared to have people jump out at them but having to watch people be kidnapped in front of him? That’s too much for Seonghwa to handle, even if it’s fake.

Hongjoong looks up at him and apparently can see how scared Seonghwa is. The alpha’s eyebrows turn concerned and he squeezes Seonghwa’s hand. “Okay, just focus on me. Just hold my hand Hwa, we’ll be out in no time.”

Seonghwa shook his head and let Hongjoong take the lead, flinching violently as he heard another group in the maze scream loudly somewhere close by. Hongjoong was determinedly walking through the maze but they only made it a couple turns before someone else was jumping out at them from the corn. Seonghwa almost fell to the ground but was saved by Hongjoong’s arms coming around him and hauling him up onto his feet.

The actor that had jumped out at them was yelling obscenities at them as they began running away, and Seonghwa’s heart dropped when he realized the actor was chasing after them. They can do that? Seonghwa didn’t know the actors could chase you through the maze.

Seonghwa’s world was suddenly turning upside down as he collided with something, sending him onto his back hard enough to knock the wind out of him. He scrambled to his feet as fast as possible, looking around and seeing a bunch of strangers around him. They must have ran head first into another group when running away from the actor. 

Before Seonghwa could properly get his bearings he heard the sound of a chainsaw alarmingly close. He stood quickly and ran down a random row of corn, mind only focused on running away from wherever the chain saw was. 

He ran through a couple different turns before cold realization trickle over him. 

He was alone. 

Where had Hongjoong gone?

Panic sparked in his chest, intense and disorienting. The area he found himself in was lit with strobe lights and had various bloody animal parts decorating the corn around him in grotesque patterns. Seonghwa couldn’t help the distressed whine that left him. He was lost in this stupid, terrifying corn maze alone. 

Before he could sink any further into despair he heard a rustling in the corn and began sprinting away from the noise, having no intention of finding out what it was. He took random turns, almost twisting his ankle when yet another actor burst out of the corn and yelled at him. 

“Hongjoong!” He yelled desperately. This wasn’t fun when he was with the alpha but he at least hadn’t been alone. 

“Yelling for help?” A rough voice asked from the corn and all Seonghwa saw was the flash of something metal before he was sprinting blindly again. He chanced a glance over his shoulder and almost sobbed when he saw a large man with a scythe following him. 

Seonghwa took a turn and was met immediately with a dead end. He whipped around to run back but it was too late, the man’s looming silhouette at the exit of the dead end. Seonghwa looked back at the corn and then the man and then felt a panic attack crash over him as he fell to the ground. 

He couldn’t get any air, breaths coming in short gasps as his hands clawed at his chest and he curled into himself. His heart was beating so fast and hard it was like he could feel it crashing against his ribs, like it was trying to escape from his chest. The world around him spun and trying to see only made him more disoriented so he crushed his eyes closed.

Faintly he heard the sound of a radio and someone speaking but he couldn’t hear any specific words. Through the panic Seonghwa did his best to visualize the rainy day coffee shop, scrambling at anything that would help him not focus on the fact that he felt like he was dying. 

A soft hand touched his shoulder and he flinched back.

“Honey, you’re okay. Can you stand up? I’m going to help you out of here.” A woman’s voice faintly registered with Seonghwa.

Out? How could he get out? With monumental effort Seonghwa cracked open one of his eyes and saw a kind looking woman crouching in front of him. She was smiling softly and squeezed his shoulder when they made eye contact.

“Can you try standing up?” 

Seonghwa nodded jerkily and then shakily took the hand the woman offered. On unsteady feet he hauled himself upright, focusing mainly on breathing and remaining upright. 

“We are going to go through the back pathways the actors use, you can close your eyes if you don’t want to see any of them. I won’t let you fall.” The woman reassured, taking Seonghwa’s forearm into her hand and leading him through some of the corn. It was scratchy and uncomfortable on his skin but it only lasted a moment before they were on clear path. 

It was clearly not a part of the maze due to the lack of decorations. Seonghwa heard footsteps approaching and squeezed his eyes shut. He was starting to feel his panic attack eb away and didn’t want seeing an actor to send him spiraling back down. 

“Rescue mission?” An amused male voice asked quietly as they walked by. 

“Yeah, poor thing is having a panic attack,” The woman said. The other person made an empathetic noise and then there was no one else for several long minutes. Seonghwa continued to focus on putting one foot in front of the other and breathing. 

“Alright honey, we’re out. Did you come with anyone?” 

Seonghwa cautiously cracked open an eye and saw that he was indeed no longer surrounded by corn. He was in front of another little picnic table area like where he and Hongjoong had eaten earlier, cozily lit by string lights hung over top the area.

“M-my boyfriend.” Seonghwa stuttered out. 

“Seonghwa!” A voice cried out behind them. 

As Seonghwa turned he saw a very frazzled looking Hongjoong erupting from the exit of the maze. The alpha immediately crashing into Seonghwa and squeezing him into his arms. 

“Oh my god are you okay!? Where did you go!” Hongjoong rushed out, pulling back to assess Seonghwa’s appearance. “Did you have a panic attack? You don’t look like you feel good.”

“They radioed in that he needed escorted out, we only beat you by about 30 seconds,” The woman offered.

“Thank you so much for helping him out. What can I do to thank you?” Hongjoong said, turning and bowing deeply towards her.

The woman laughed good naturedly, “You don’t need to thank me. Just make sure he gets home okay and is taken care of.” She gestured to Seonghwa.

“Of course ma’am. Thank you so much,” Hongjoong said, bowing again. 

“I have a feeling you’re going to a spectacular job. You two take care,” The woman said with a casual wave before walking back into the maze.

“Let’s head home, does that sound okay?” Hongjoong said, threading his fingers with Seonghwa’s. At the alpha’s touch Seonghwa felt the residual panic flow out of him, leaving him feeling exhausted.

Too tired to talk Seonghwa just nodded and let Hongjoong lead him away. They made it to the car quickly and when Seonghwa was surrounded by the familiar scent of Hongjoong’s car he sank into the seat, boneless. The festival was about an hours drive away from the dorm so as soon as the car started moving Seonghwa nodded off, panic attack having stolen all his energy.

He awoke to his door opening. His eyes cracked open and he squinted at the bright lights of the car garage. When his vision came back his eyes focused on Hongjoong’s face right in front of his own.

“Let’s get you into an actual bed,” Hongjoong said simply, carding his hand affectionately through Seonghwa’s hair. A warm sense of love filled Seonghwa’s chest and he sleepily undid his seat belt and stumbled out of the warm car. When the cool fall air hit his skin he shivered and woke up a bit more.

They walked up into the dorm and no one was to be seen in any of the common areas, the other members must have retired into their rooms by now. Seonghwa and Hongjoong followed suit, the alpha softly closing the door behind them. 

“I’m going to take a shower,” Seonghwa mumbled, sifting through his clothes to find some comfy sleeping clothes. He felt the post-panic attack grossness descending upon him and the first thing he needed was a hot shower, closely followed by a good cuddle from Hongjoong.

When he steps out of the shower he’s already feeling a little less gross, slipping into his baggy sleeping clothes a sense of tired peace comes over him. When he walks back out into the bedroom and sees Hongjoong waiting for him with a warm cup of tea a smile breaks out onto his face and love fills his chest. 

“Thank you,” He says, slipping into the bed and accepting the mug of tea from Hongjoong.

“I’m sorry I made you go into the maze. I knew you didn’t want to do it and then I made you and you had a panic attack. I’m sorry.” Hongjoong rushed out, face full of regret.

Seonghwa took a sip of the tea and hummed appreciatively. “You didn’t make me do anything. Every time you gave me an out I refused, and it’s not your fault I had a panic attack.”

Hongjoong frowned at Seonghwa’s words but stayed silent for a few moments, just looking at the omega’s face. “Still, I’m sorry. Come here.” The alpha opened his arms in invitation to Seonghwa and the omega carefully scooted over and leaned against the alpha as he wrapped his arms around Seonghwa.

“Can we watch something? I don’t want to have nightmares,” Seonghwa said, a little embarrassed. He knows that if he goes straight to sleep that he will definitely have bad dreams.

“Of course, anything in particular?” Hongjoong asked. Seonghwa shook his head so Hongjoong just pulled his laptop over in front of them and put on a drama he’s been watching. Seonghwa let his mind wander as he sipped his tea and lost himself to the characters on screen. 

When the mug was empty Hongjoong took it from his hands and set it aside, shifting the omega to sit more firmly on his lap, arms curling around him possessively. Seonghwa purred contentedly into the alpha’s arms, letting himself doze in and out of consciousness. 

He felt so safe here, warm and in Hongjoong’s arms. A sudden feeling of gratefulness hit Seonghwa. He turned in Hongjoong’s arms and looked him in the eyes, the alpha’s face questioning.

“I love you,” Seonghwa said simply, pressing a tender kiss against Hongjoong’s lips. 

When they pulled apart Seonghwa’s heart squeezed at the look on Hongjoong’s face. The alpha looked like he was looking at his whole universe, love struck awed expression plain as day on his delicate features. It made Seonghwa want to shy away but instead he pressed another chaste kiss to Hongjoong’s lips.

“I love you too.” The alpha murmured.

**Author's Note:**

> I meant for this to have some spiciness at the end but I wanted to get this out today and wasn't feeling writing a smut scene. Maybe I'll revisit in the future. This was fun and cute to write though! Fall and Seongjoong are two of my fave things!
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed! Let me know what you thought and if you liked it!
> 
> Talk to me on tumblr! @softhwas  
> I finally made a twitter! @Softhwas1


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